What we know about viral video case of El Paso police officer pulling gun on kids

Elizabeth Flores on July 8, 2018, discusses an incident in South-Central El Paso in which a police officer pointed a gun at children July 5, 2018, in front of the Seville Recreation Center, 6700 Sambrano Ave.
Samuel Gaytan/El Paso Times

An El Paso police officer caught on video briefly pointing his weapon at a group of mostly children has brought national attention to the Police Department and the community.

On Tuesday, El Paso Police Department officials released the mugshot of one of the suspects arrested. Julian Saucedo, 17, was arrested on suspicion of interfering with a police officer. He remains jailed. His brother, Jacob Saucedo, 15, was arrested on the same charge but was released Sunday, his mother said.

While the video has gone viral with more than 4.8 million views, much remains unknown about what led up to the incident, as well as details on the officers and other people involved. Here is what we know and what we don’t:

What led to the altercation?

According to El Paso Police Department officials, officers responded to a report of a criminal trespassing incident in progress at an apartment complex at 6719 Sambrano Ave. at about 6:15 p.m. Thursday near the Seville Recreation Center in South-Central El Paso.

An altercation erupted between police officers and a group of people suspected in the trespassing case after they were detained as part of the investigation, according to court documents.

El Paso Police Department officials declined to comment on what happened before the recording started or after the video ended.

Court documents state that police also were responding to a report of criminal mischief involving a large group of about 10 to 12 juveniles involved in the alleged incident, a criminal complaint states.

The incident resulted in the arrest of Julian Saucedo, 17, and Jacob Saucedo, 15, according to their mother, Elizabeth Flores.

According to court documents, the boys refused to follow orders given to them by police officers.

Flores told the El Paso Times on Sunday that the confrontation escalated when a police officer allegedly choked Jacob Saucedo and forced him to the ground.

A video posted to Facebook shows an El Paso Police Department officer pulling a gun on a group of boys. Police later handcuff the juvenile shown in this screenshot and place him in the back of a squad car.(Photo11: Courtesy of Facebook)

Who is the officer involved?

Little to no details have been released by city and police officials about the officer who pointed the gun at the group of minors.

Police Department officials have only said that an officer has been placed on desk duty pending an investigation into the incident by the department’s Internal Affairs Division.

Officials said that the officer has been with the department for four years. He is assigned to the Police Department’s Central Regional Command Center.

Court documents identify the main police officer involved in the incident as Jose Rios. However, court documents do not state whether Rios was the officer who pointed the gun at the group.

Another officer named in court documents is only identified as C. Sandoval. Documents state that Sandoval responded to the criminal trespass report with Rios.

What about the trespassing?

Police officials said that only two people — an adult and a minor — were arrested in connection with the incident. Both were charged with suspicion of interfering with a police officer.

No information has been released on whether anyone was arrested on trespassing or criminal mischief charges.

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Elizabeth Flores, the mother of boys involved in a confrontation with police Thursday, on Sunday gives her account of the event outside the Seville Recreation Center at 6700 Sambrano Ave., where the incident happened.(Photo11: RUDY GUTIERREZ/EL PASO TIMES)

Do the teens have criminal records?

Whether Julian and Jacob Saucedo have criminal histories is unknown.

Jail and court records do not include any arrest of a minor in the case. Jacob Saucedo still is considered a minor, while Julian Saucedo turned 17 years old June 30, so he is now considered an adult.

Court and jail records show Julian Saucedo has not been arrested since then, aside from for his involvement in Thursday’s incident.

He currently remains in the El Paso County Jail.

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Deputy City Manager Dionne Mack spoke about the viral video that showed an El Paso Police officer pulling a gun on a group of boys.
Aaron Bracamontes, El Paso Times

When can police pull guns?

Police officials refused to release the department’s policy on use of force by officers.

They directed journalists, who have asked several times for the policy, to file open records request.

The El Paso Times has filed an open records request for all policies regarding use of force and officers pulling out their weapons during any criminal investigation.